Miracles of Egypt
by UsagiLovesDuochan
Summary: Just before he is supposed to depart to the underworld, Atemu learns something surprising about his past and realizes a little secret Yuugi did not tell him. And if that is not enough, Atemu, Yuugi and the gang meet someone familar. YYxY
1. Chapter 1

Title: Miracles of Egypt  
Part: 1  
Author: Usagi slight angst, romance, lemon, SPOILERS for the end of the manga  
Genre: Romance  
Pairings: Atemu x Yuugi  
Criticism: Constructive criticism welcomed  
Disclaimer: Nothing is mine, I don't make any money from fanfiction.

Description: Just before he is supposed to depart to the underworld, Atemu learns something surprising about his past and realizes a little secret Yuugi did not tell him. And if that is not enough, in the last hours before their separation, Atemu, Yuugi and the gang meet someone new. Someone surprisingly familiar.

Thanks to my betareaders Deb and Elsalhir for the usual quick work.

Egyptian Names and their meanings:  
Djed-ra-iu-ef-anch (Ra says that he may live)

* * *

"Aibou, stand up! What kind of a winner would you be, kneeling on the ground like this?"

Atemu, soul of the Sennen puzzle, smiled down at his crying aibou, holding out his hand. Tears still flowing down his cheeks, Yuugi took the offered hand with a heavy heart.

He had known this day would come. He had known since the moment he began to realize that his other half had not just been a part of himself but a whole unique being. A soul of a living person, long gone.

In the beginning he'd tried to ignore that fact. He thought if he just told himself often enough that the soul in the puzzle was another piece of himself, if they just never got his memories back, his other would stay by his side forever.

But that hope had slowly vanished. As much as he wished and craved for his other to be with him forever he didn't have the heart to keep Yami no Yuugi from searching for his memory. To solve the question of who he was.

The day when they dueled against Pandora, when he talked to Malik for the first time, that day he'd realized how selfish his actions had been. And he threw his own wishes away, decided to help his other with everything he had to gain back the lost memories.

Yuugi had known the moment he made that fateful decision, that this day would come. They both had known it. And feared it. But it had been unavoidable. A fact that didn't make it less painful though.

This was it.

Mutou Yuugi looked into the eyes of the person he had called 'mou hitori no boku' for so long. They were the same height now, he noticed. In the past he had been slightly smaller than the former pharaoh. There had been a lot of differences between them in the beginning.

But things changed, just like his height. Shy, little Yuugi, lonely and without any friends, was long gone. In his place had come a selfless, confident, teen with a huge group of wonderful, supportive friends. And most importantly, he could stand on his own now.

But the price he had to pay was nearly unbearable. He had to part from the one person, who meant everything to him.

"Mou hitori no boku," he whispered sadly, but the other silenced him with a shake of his head and that soft, proud smile still playing around his lips.

"I am not 'mou hitori no boku' anymore," he chided gently. "There is only one Mutou Yuugi in this world. You are an unique being, never forget that."

"Yes," Yuugi sighed, his heart feeling heavier with every second.

"Pharaoh?"

It was Isis who broke the moment between the two young men. She stepped forward bowing her head slightly.

"Before you take the last step, there is one more thing we gravekeepers are supposed to show you," she explained.

"Something more?" Atemu asked, surprised, glancing at his aibou in bewilderment. Yuugi was also taken by surprise. He dried his tears and glanced from Isis to Atemu and back.

"Not far from here are the ruins of a small town. That is the last place we have to show you before we return to this place, my pharaoh," Isis explained and gestured with her hand to the exit.

Atemu glanced at Yuugi and they both nodded, wordlessly coming to a decision. They walked back to their group of friends and Yuugi's jii-chan. When the others noticed that Yuugi and Atemu still remained as two beings, Jonouchi raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"Isn't mou hitori no Yuugi supposed to vanish back into the puzzle now that he is no longer dueling?" he asked, confused. "I mean, no offense, but you are a spirit, aren't you?"

"No offense taken, Jonouchi," Atemu replied smirking. But it was Malik who answered the question.

"Well, the gods granted our pharaoh a solidified soul so he could play his last game against the chosen one. It's not a real body of flesh and blood, but he was able to hold his cards and be seen. Now, after the end of the game until the moment of his departure they allow him to stay in this from. It makes things easier."

The young Egyptian smiled and followed his sister who had started to head for the exit. It was afternoon and the sun shone down on the sands of Egypt mercilessly. The walk to the ruins Isis had mentioned was silent. The friends were either wondering what the female gravekeeper would show them next, or still coping with the fact that Atemu had lost his duel and would soon leave them forever.

Sugoroku Mutou glanced over to his grandson who was walking beside the former pharaoh, each step matching the one the solidified spirit made. The old man was worried about the teen. He'd known Yuugi long enough to know that his grandson was devastated by the idea of losing his other forever.

He also noted that during the time after Atemu got his memories back and the day the card of the Ishtar's arrived, something else about the young Mutou had changed. It was something he was not able to describe. Yuugi's friends hadn't even realized it and he was not sure if the pharaoh had. It was something only one who had known the teen all his life was able to recognize at all. And even he, his jii-chan had barely noticed it.

The old man had a feeling that whatever had happened had something to do with the pharaoh, but he never got the chance to ask his grandson and he wasn't even sure if he ever should.

The group was now half way to their goal when they meet the Kaiba brothers. Seto and Mokuba had taken a private helicopter to get there. It seemed the younger Kaiba, after learning about their journey to Egypt, had been able to persuade his brother get here and see the outcome of this fateful trip.

Jonouchi even started to taunt the older Kaiba that Seto was curious himself who would turn out as the winner in the last duel, so he would know what opponent to expect in the next tournament. Yuugi and Atemu didn't point out that Seto's furious silence over their best friend's comment was just proving the blonde right. They just inconspicuously glanced at each other and grinned in silent understanding.

Finally the little group arrived at the ruins Isis had mentioned. There was not much left of the place that was once a town in the ancient times. Stone pavements, some half standing walls and pillars were the only remains.

Yuugi's eyes widened considerably when he looked over some of the carvings and paintings which still adorned the ruins. But Atemu was the only one who noted the sudden, strange reaction of his aibou. He wanted to ask the teen what was wrong, but Anzu prevented his actions by pointing to a place at the other end of the ruins.

"Look, there are tents and people!" she said, surprised to find some other living beings this far away from civilization.

"Caravans," Rishido answered calmly, not the slightest bit surprised. "There are some breeder families who stuck to traveling with their animals through the desert from one oasis to the next. There is one family who is even quite famous for their beautiful horses. They are one of the last old nobles from this country."

"And they are really rich," Malik added slightly offended. "Damn they could afford ten or more motorbikes if they wanted and that's not even half of the money they have."

His sister Isis whacked her brother over his head.

"It's not as if you couldn't afford that many motorbikes if I didn't forbid you," she commented dryly. Malik struck out his tongue and pouted while the others laughed about the display of the siblings.

"We are here!" Isis suddenly exclaimed and came to a halt. In front of her was a small hole, just big enough for a human to pass through. A small stone staircase led into darkness.

Jonouchi, who was standing just behind Atemu, looked over the spirit's shoulder into the darkness and swallowed.

"Is that a grave?" he asked, a little bit disturbed.

"Afraid?" Seto immediately taunted the blonde who bared his teeth in anger.

"Of course not!" he snapped at the CEO. The next fight between those two seemed to be obvious, but Isis prevented further damage by answering Jonouchi's question.

"No, it's not a grave. It's a memorial place for you, my pharaoh."

"A memorial place for me?" Atemu asked surprised. "And Isis, please call me Atemu. I have a name now, I was a pharaoh 3000 years ago. I feel funny being titled as such in a world as modern as this."

He grinned sheepishly and the young women nodded with a smile.

"Well then, Atemu, this place holds some carvings of the most important people and events from your life," she continued to explain further. "You may wonder why I am supposed to show this to you since you've already gotten your memories back, but... there are some things you still don't remember, am I right?"

Atemu nodded a little.

"Yeah, I mostly remember the time when my people were threatened," he sighed. "I know who I am, I remember my friends and parents from back then and the reason why my soul was imprisoned in the Sennen Puzzle. But not really much of what happened before that time, before I became pharaoh."

"I thought so," Isis replied with a nod. "You will get all of your memories back when you step into the underworld, but there is one little thing which would come as a shock if you had to remember it only then and not before you leave. This is why we are supposed to show you now. Please follow me!"

And with this said, she climbed into the hole and slowly went down the steps of stone. The others followed her one by one, even Mokuba and Seto, although the older looked less enthusiastic than his excited younger brother.

Atemu and Yuugi were the last to climb down the hole, but when the former pharaoh turned towards the entrance of the memorial, he noticed that Yuugi was not following.

"Aibou?" the spirit asked surprised. Yuugi had a look of deep sadness on his face and shook his head slightly.

"I'm sorry Atemu, but I don't want to go down there," he said. "I don't feel so well. I guess it won't do me any good right now to sneak around in a dark cavern of all places. I would prefer to wait for you out in the sun and look around this place while you are gone, is that okay?"

Atemu eyed his aibou carefully. He could see Yuugi was telling the truth but at the same time he was not. But since the others were waiting for him down there, he decided to let it go for now and ask the teen later about the real reasons behind him not feeling well.

"All right, aibou, you stay here while I find out what's going on down there. But be careful, okay?"

"You know I will," Yuugi replied with a small smile. He watched his other climb down the stairs and vanish into darkness. Then he turned and started strolling through the ruins.

Meanwhile, the former pharaoh reached the end of the stairs where his friends and Yuugi's jii-chan were already waiting for him, most of them holding lightened torches in their hands.

"Where's Yuugi?" Ryou asked and the spirit shook his head, slightly worried.

"He didn't feel very well," he explained his friends. "He wanted to stay outside. He wants to look around the ruins while we are here."

"Oh," was all his friends got out. Most of them showed worry for their friend now. Everyone started to realize that there was something they were missing right now.

In silence the group began their slow walk through the cavern. The passage was small and they had to go behind each other in a line. When the long passage finally ended, they found themselves in a huge room far under the earth.

Gasps escaped most of the teens when their light lit the room and they looked at the carvings and paintings on the walls. They were beautiful, and obvious the work of an ancient Egyptian artist. For a moment the worry for Yuugi was forgotten.

Atemu walked around, regarding each painting closely, trying to connect the shown scenes with a memory. Suddenly Malik let out a gasp and almost knocked everyone over.

"Isis, is this what you meant?" he asked his sister as she looked over the paintings. The oldest Ishtar nodded with a smile. Atemu, now curious, came over and lit the wall with his torch. What he saw, nearly caused him to lose his voice in shock.

In the picture was himself, he was sitting on his throne and beside him stood a young male, a sword in his hand and obviously defending his pharaoh against an enemy. This bodyguard didn't seem to be as old as him, as far as he could tell from the painting. And he had the same looks, the same hairstyle. He heard the others gasp when realization hit them.

"Yuugi!" Honda exclaimed in astonishment.

"But how?" Otogi asked, just a shocked as the others. Atemu was silent. Still slightly in shock he examined the paintings further. There was one of him watching Yuugi taming a horse and another one where his aibou was practicing sword fighting with Seto.

The CEO grunted disgruntedly when Mokuba noticed that picture and recognized his brother immediately. The next painting Atemu saw was one of him and Yuugi horse riding. Then he discovered the most shocking painting of them all. Yuugi and him standing right beside a bed, arms around each other and kissing.

This time the former pharaoh couldn't suppress the gasp that escaped his lips. Isis noticed what the spirit saw and decided it was finally time for an explanation.

"As you may have already realized by looking at the paintings," she started, referring to the shocked spirit. "Yuugi is a part of your past. Just as mister Kaiba had been one of your most trusted priests, Yuugi had been your most trusted bodyguard. He was good with the sword, a very skilled rider and surprisingly a good dancer."

"Why would Yuugi have to dance?" Jonouchi burst out, amused at the idea of Yuugi in a dancing costume.

"For cover," Isis explained with a smile. "He was just as short as the pharaoh and as you may know, sometimes looks can be deceiving. So when someone new arrived at the court, someone the priests didn't know if they could trust, Yuugi would play one of the male dancers. Every foreigner would think he was just a cute dancer who was not to be feared. But he had very sharp eyes and if he noticed any threat to his pharaoh before the priestess Ishizu did, he would immediately be at his pharaoh's side, defending his life."

Most of the friends now had wide eyes and open mouths, staring at Isis in disbelief.

"Somehow I can not feel really surprised," Sugoroku Mutou muttered and went back to looking at the paintings with interest. "There is more behind the relationship between Pharaoh Atemu and Yuugi though?"

"There is," Isis confirmed with a smile. "The pharaoh and Yuugi had been lovers."

"I would never have noticed," Seto snorted. His little brother hit him in the side with an elbow.

"Nii-sama!" he whined and Seto's face softened slightly.

"The documents our family hosted didn't tell much though," the oldest Ishtar continued with regret in her voice. "I know he was a bodyguard, what he could do and that he was also the lover of the nameless pharaoh. But nothing else was told there, not even the name, just like it had been with Atemu."

"Heba," the former pharaoh suddenly whispered to everyone's surprise. "His past name was Heba."

"That means 'Game', doesn't it?" Malik asked with a raised eyebrow and grinned. "How fitting."

Atemu just nodded thoughtfully.

"This is what I am supposed to know before I leave?" he finally asked while regarding the painting of him and Yuugi kissing.

"Yes, this is what you should know before you leave," Isis confirmed. "Yuugi is alive after all and I guess you should have the chance to sort out your past relationship with him and tell him anything you need to before you two are parted until the end of Yuugi's life."

"I see," the spirit said, eyes distant. He continued looking over some more paintings, his thoughts far away. His friends tried to get over their current shock and out of curiosity they too regarded various paintings, hoping to find some more with Atemu and Yuugi on them.

It took a long time before the former pharaoh decided that he had finally seen enough. With the others agreement they began their long walk back to the exit of the memorial place.

It was around the time they climbed up the stairs that Jonouchi seemed to have finally gotten over his shock and started talking.

"Could you guys believe that Yuugi had been Atemu's bodyguard?" he started, disbelief still in his voice. "Yuugi once told me that he hated to fight and he should be able to fight with a sword?"

Atemu listened to the blonde's comments with half an ear. He was looking for a sign of Yuugi within the ruins. Hearing some strange whinnying noise and seeing shadows moving not far away, the spirit decided to find out what was going on and if Yuugi was there.

The others followed the spirit without words, most of them tuning out the talking of Yuugi's best friend who still continued to compare the Yuugi they all knew with the one of the past.

"I mean, honestly, can you even imagine Yuugi riding a ho..." the rest of Jonouchi's sentence died in his throat at the sight that greeted him. Right before the friends very eyes was Yuugi, sitting on a black horse which was bucking and whinnying angrily, trying to throw the small built teen off its back, but not succeeding.

With an open mouth Jonouchi witnessed how Yuugi sat calmly on the big beast as if it was a normal chair. In the end the horse became too tired to continue its fight against its rider and he let himself fall to the ground exhausted. It was also the moment the blonde remembered to close his mouth.

Yuugi recognized his friends when he was dismounting from the horse's back.

"Hey guys, you are already back?" he asked in surprise. Atemu was the only one who seemed less shocked than the others. The former pharaoh smiled, a mix of sadness and pride.

"I see now why you didn't wish to come with us. You remembered," he simply stated. Hearing this calm accusation, Yuugi's eyes widened before he quickly hid his face behind his bangs. Before any kind of explanations could further be stated, the friends attention was interrupted by the loud voices of two men, who stood next to the now exhausted, black mare.

"You were the idiot who promised the kid to give him the horse if he was able to tame it!" a dark tanned, black haired man screamed at the other.

"But it was just a joke," the other man with a long black beard and hair defended himself. "I never thought he would be able to tame it. And the horses are not ours anyway. We CAN'T give him the horse!"

"It was a promise, you jackass!" the other screamed in anger. "It's all your damn fault! Besides, you know the rule of our master: Always stay true to your word!"

"You... WON the horse?" Yuugi's jii-chan asked his grandson in disbelief. The delicate built teen blushed and nodded.

"It was a bet. If I could tame the horse it would be mine. Isn't it beautiful?" he asked with a small smile, glancing over at the exhausted mare.

"Beautiful," Atemu breathed his agreement examining the well built body of the animal. "A noble horse. Its blood must be quite expensive."

"But I think it still needs to be cleared if the horse really belongs to you now, Yuugi," Isis broke in, regarding the two, still shouting men. The one with the black beard suddenly looked over to Yuugi, his eyes blazing.

"YOU! This was all a trick!" he accused. "You knew you would win, you cheated! This horse will not belong to you."

"You DARE to accuse my aibou of cheating!" Atemu growled, rage glowing in his own, sharp eyes now. He was just about to walk up to the other man, when a voice suddenly interrupted the upcoming fight.

"What's going on?"

Both man stiffened at hearing that voice. They whirled around and bowed to the person who had suddenly appeared.

"Master, forgive us our foolishness," the dark skinned man pleaded hastily. "It's all Ramses' fault! We were trying to tame the mare as you instructed when suddenly this boy appeared and watched. I am sure he didn't mean any harm but when Ramses fell from the horse he got angry and..."

He was interrupted when the man called Ramses cut in angrily.

"He LAUGHED at me!" he shouted, pointing a finger at Yuugi. Atemu bristled and Yuugi's eyebrows knitted together.

"I didn't laugh," he objected. "I even asked if everything was all right but you didn't want to hear anything of it."

The other man nodded in agreement and continued to tell his story.

"Ramses was angry and he challenged the boy to see if he could do it any better. We were both surprised when he accepted. Ramses thought this was very funny and he said if the boy was able to tame the horse it would be his."

He glared at the other man angrily.

"The boy actually DID tame the mare. He may not look like it, but he is an excellent rider. The mare had not a chance to get rid of him. And now Ramses is bound to a promise he can't keep."

"I see," the newcomer said calmly and he looked over to the group of friends with Yuugi in the middle. Yuugi was looking right back, inspecting the foreigner with a slight curiosity.

It was a man, obvious by his voice. He seemed to wear typical Egyptian desert clothes similar to the dress Isis currently wore. Some bracelets on his upper arms glinted in the sun but he could not make out much more of the dress, only that the dress was sky-blue. Above the cloth the man was wearing a white cape to protect his skin from the burning sun. The cape also contained a hood which was over his head for further protection. It made it impossible to take a look at his face.

After the foreigner was done with his own inspection of Yuugi and his friends, he turned around to the two men which seemed to be under his command.

"If you gave a promise to this boy, you have to stay true to your word. The mare is now owned by the boy," he explained quietly to the shocked men. "Ramses, for your stupidity you will work in the stables for the next several weeks. I am not firing you, that would be a waste of your skills. But you need to pay attention to your temper."

He looked over at the other man now.

"Achmed I would like for you to take the mare back to our tents. Give her something to drink and make her ready for the handover!"

Both men bowed, even though Ramses did it with a slightly sour look on his face. Then they turned around and left, Achmed leading the tired mare beside him with a rope.

The foreign man, on the other hand turned his attention towards the group of friends again. He walked over smoothly until he stood directly in front of Yuugi.

The teen had watched every action of this man. How he spoke, how he handled the situation so calmly, the way he walked; somehow it all reminded the young Mutou of someone. However he was not able to recall who it was. But he was sure his way of acting was very familiar.

Now the man was bowing his head slightly at Yuugi.

"I sincerely apologize for the stupidity of my men," he said, voice friendly and kind. "I hope they have not offended you in any way."

He straightened back and removed his hood in one fluid movement. Gasps of shock ran through the group of people and Yuugi stared at the person in front of him with wide, disbelieving eyes.

It was a young man, who could not be much older than him. He eyes shone with warmth and kindness. But that was not what shocked the friends so much. This person was an exact replica of Atemu. The hair, the eyes, the smile, it was just like Atemu.

And Yuugi finally realized why this young man seemed to be so familiar in his eyes. The way he talked, walked, acted, it all reminded him of Atemu. He glanced over at the spirit to see the reaction and somehow he was not even surprised that the former pharaoh was scrutinizing the newcomer with the same calm expression on his face as the stranger had on his own.

Suddenly seeming to remember something, he smiled at the group and then his eyes were on Yuugi again.

"May I know the name of our mare's new owner?" he asked politely.

Yuugi nodded, suddenly feeling slightly shy for unknown reasons.

"My name is Mutou Yuugi," he bowed slightly. "Sorry for the impolite staring by the way. But you just look a little too much like..."

He glanced over at Atemu who was watching the scene with some amusement now. The stranger showed a small grin and bowed as well.

"If I may introduce myself, my name is Atemu Djed-ra-iu-ef-anch and I am the head of this small humble caravan over there."

"Holy shit, you even have his NAME?" Jonouchi had finally had enough shocks for today to keep quiet any longer. "This is the most weirdest encounter on the most weirdest day I've ever had in my life, honestly!"

"Djed-ra-iu-ef-anch?" Isis now voiced, not paying attention to the blonde's outburst. "I've heard about you. Your family is famous for your horse breeding. They are also one of the last descendants of the ancient pharaoh line. And you are Atemu, son of the clan's head?"

The Egyptian lowered his head barely in confirmation.

"That's me. You are well informed, Ishtar Isis, current leader of the holy gravekeeper."

The female gravekeeper nodded her head, approving the fact that this young man also knew well about her own family. The new Atemu then turned his head to give his attention back to Yuugi.

"Yuugi Mutou, since it will take some time to prepare your horse and it will be night soon, would you accept my offer for you and your friends to stay at my camp for the night? We have fire to protect you against the cold of the desert night, food to fill your stomachs and tents for you to sleep in. I would be more than delighted to host all of you tonight."

He smiled winningly and Yuugi couldn't help but be entranced by it. He glanced back at his friends and jii-chan still unsure what to decide.

It was Isis who made the decision though. She nodded at Yuugi, a soft smile on her lips.

"We would gladly accept the kind offer," she declared. "But tomorrow we have to finish what was started long ago."

And with a painful pang Yuugi was reminded and realized that this would be the last night he would share with Atemu, his mou hitori no boku, former pharaoh of Egypt. Suddenly the walk to the camp of the caravan caused his heart to feel heavier, destroying the happy feeling of looking forward to a wonderful night of fun.

TBC...


	2. Chapter 2

Thanks a lot for the nice feedback I got so far, people! I am happy to hear some of you enjoyed the story so far. Now I hope you'll like the next part as well. Enjoy!

Title: Miracles of Egypt  
Part: 2/3  
Author: Usagi slight angst, romance, lemon, SPOILERS for the end of the manga  
Genre: Romance  
Pairings: Atemu x Yuugi  
Criticism: Constructive criticism welcomed  
Disclaimer: Nothing is mine; I don't make money from fanfiction.

Description: Just before he is supposed to depart to the underworld, Atemu learns something surprising about his past and realizes a little secret Yuugi did not tell him. And if that is not enough, in the last hours before their separation, Atemu, Yuugi and the gang meet someone new. Someone surprisingly familiar.

Thanks to my betareaders Deb and Elsalhir for the usual quick work.

Egyptian Names and their meanings:  
Djed-ra-iu-ef-anch (Ra says that he may live)  
Nebibit (Leopard)

* * *

The camp of the Djed-ra-iu-ef-anch family's caravan was not exactly big but not small either. There were two huge tents for the workers, three for the horses and a smaller one for the son of the clan. The workers were all a little gruff with language and actions but they were friendly men and absolutely loyal to their employer.

When Atemu announced the arrival of his guests, the men immediately started to set up two more tents, one small one for the girls and one larger for the males of the group. They didn't question anything and they were nice to the newcomers in their own way.

Atemu, their host, told them that a lot of the men had grown up on the streets of Egypt's towns before his family took them in and gave them a chance in life. The group of friends thought it was a noble action of the family, but the young heir waved it aside.

"Our family is very proud of who we are," he explained. "Our ancestors had the task of looking after Egypt's people and we are just trying to continue what has been our job for millennia."

"But it's still a good deed you are doing," Anzu objected. "Nowadays there are a lot of people out there who use their heritage or their wealth as an excuse to follow their own selfish goals. They don't think of the poor for a second."

The young Egyptian smiled at the girl and nodded his head in agreement.

"I guess you are right. Anzu, was it?"

The brown haired teen nodded. Their host then turned back to Yuugi and with a small smile he offered to give the group a quick tour through the camp and show them the horses they had. The group was a strange sight to see with Yuugi at the top, one man to his left and one to his right who could have been identical twins to anyone who didn't know better. And the fact that Yuugi's looks resembled theirs as well didn't help the matter at all.

When they entered the horse tents, Atemu, who as a pharaoh's son had grown up around horses, was astonished and full of praise for the beautiful animals he found. Even though he wasn't used to the knowledge of the modern world, he knew how to distinguish a good horse from a bad one. And those breeds the family had were one of the finest he had ever seen in his life.

Yuugi too, who was able to revert to his memories of his past life, liked what he saw very much. The Egyptian also showed the teen the place where the mare he had won was stabled. She was eating peacefully and even allowed the curious teens to touch her without backing away.

"Her name is Nebibit," Atemu told the happy duellist with a smile.

Sugoroku, on the other hand, complained that he had no idea where the horse could stay, they lived in a city after all, but Yuugi was surprisingly insistent about keeping the horse. It was obvious by his shining eyes that the young duellist champion had fallen in love with the mare. And it didn't help that the spirit of the former pharaoh was encouraging his aibou to keep the animal.

In the end it was Mokuba who was able to solve the problem of where the horse could stay. After having Yuugi promise to teach him how to ride, the young Kaiba was able to persuade Seto to take the horse with them in their private airplane to the Kaiba mansion. After all, the grounds of their home were large enough to offer plenty of horse's shelters if they wanted to.

After the problem was solved the group stepped out of the horse tent, only to find the sun already vanishing behind the horizon. The workers had lit two fires and they waved the whole group over to join them by the main fire for dinner.

The friends and Yuugi's grandfather gladly accepted the invitation and allowed their host to lead them to the fire. After introductions were made it didn't take long for a small celebration to take place in the camp.

It was later that night when Yuugi and Atemu decided to sit a little aside from the cheerful whirl their friends were causing. Shoulder to shoulder they had chosen their place by the second, slightly smaller fire. They just didn't feel like celebrating as loudly as all their other friends did at that moment.

They were content watching Jonouchi fooling around with Mokuba, Honda and Otogi, laughing quietly when the younger Kaiba suddenly tripped and took everyone with him to the ground. The tangled mess of arms and legs were just as hilarious as the view of Seto and Anzu towering over the four, shouting heatedly regarding their behavior.

The two young men were distracted from the funny scene though when a glass of water appeared in front of Yuugi's eyes.

"For you," a kind voice explained from his side and the teen took the drink thankfully.

"I guess my doppelganger is not drinking anything, are you?" Atemu, their host, added jokingly. The former pharaoh shook his head with a small smile. His living look-a-like had already noted that the spirit didn't seem to eat nor drink anything. But somehow, neither Yuugi nor Atemu felt really surprised that their host hadn't questioned that strange fact until now.

"May I sit with you?" the Egyptian asked politely. Yuugi smiled kindly and Atemu nodded wordlessly. The young man returned the smile and sat down right beside Yuugi.

All three of them stared into the fire for a while, Yuugi and Atemu both swinging their drinks absent-mindedly.

"You are not with your friends?" the Egyptian finally stated. The two teens shook their heads.

"We are quite content to watch from here," Atemu explained and glanced with a smile over to where Jonouchi had started another fight with Seto. There was silence again until Yuugi broke it with a question of his own.

"So, your family is well known here in Egypt?"

The dark skinned young man gave a friendly laugh at this question.

"Oh yes, we are one of the best horse breeders in this country," he told the curious Yuugi and Atemu. "And in our veins flows the blood of the ancient pharaohs. We are very proud of this fact."

He smiled, pride obviously glowing on his face.

"Usually, our whole family is traveling with the caravan, but right now my father has to deal with the government about some new laws which would ease our selling of horses to the foreign countries. This is why I am entrusted with leading the caravan through the desert. I as good as grew up in the Egyptian sands so I know it quite well."

He grinned, looking fondly out into the night before his face turned to the Ishtar family who sat by the second fire with Isis and Yuugi's jii-chan, talking quietly. His look became thoughtful as he watched Isis smiling at something the old Mutou seemed to have said. Atemu and Yuugi followed the gaze of the Egyptian, not saying a word.

"I know about the Ishtar family," the young man murmured solemnly. "From generation to generation our family relates the tale of the nameless pharaoh's gravekeepers and their holy task for centuries."

He paused for a second before he added as an afterthought.

"And I know why you are here."

They looked at each other in silent understanding. Words were not needed to explain who the spirit was or that the young Egyptian knew.

"It is strange," the living Atemu continued after a short silence, "but I feel familiar being with you two. In your presence, Yuugi, I feel as if we've known each other for a long time already. And with you, Atemu, I feel like there is a connection between us. As if something I've been missing my whole life is finally here."

The former pharaoh nodded in understanding while Yuugi was surprised about the sudden confession.

"I understand what you mean," the spirit said, a small smile on his lips. "I have the same feeling."

"Maybe it's because you look so similar?" Yuugi suggested carefully, but both Atemus shook their heads.

"No, aibou. I think this goes deeper," the ancient spirit explained. The other young man smiled kindly at the current, new crowned king of duellists and stroked a bang out of the younger one's face.

"Don't worry too much about this, Yuugi," he said. "This is not a night to worry. We should enjoy its beauty and peacefulness."

Somehow the young Egyptian was able to coax Yuugi to agree and to do anything he suggested. It was a strange fact, but the teen believed it was because this living version of his Atemu was just like the ancient pharaoh in every aspect he had been able to get to know so far. And Yuugi trusted his pharaoh, thus he trusted Atemu Djed-ra-iu-ef-anch the living copy of the spirit.

"So, Yuugi," the Egyptian started curiously, "if I may voice such a bold request, how about you tell me a little more about yourself?"

Yuugi couldn't help but smile about the strange, but still kind way this Atemu used to talk to him. It reminded him of the past; he remembered the way his pharaoh used to speak when in public.

Resting his head against the shoulder of the ancient spirit to his right, he faced the Egyptian to his left and started to tell him about his life. He told him about his family, his time before he solved the puzzle, his long friendship with Anzu, how he met his other friends, the duels he had performed together with his other half.

And he told the young man a lot more. He talked about his hopes and dreams and as a return of service, Atemu told the teen about his own family. He told Yuugi how much he loved the history of his country, how much he loved his work, but that he also felt there was something important missing in his life and that he had been searching for this lost piece as long as he could remember.

The time went by and it was long after midnight when Mokuba showed the first signs of being tired which caused Seto to declare his younger brother's bedtime. Of course the young Kaiba wouldn't hear any of it as long as his other friends were still celebrating.

Thus the friends decided to call an end to the night and go to sleep. Sugoroku and Mokuba were the first to leave the fire, followed by an arguing Seto and Jonouchi. Isis had to drag her still, excited little brother to the male's tent with the help of Rishido.

Yuugi, and the two Atemus', who were still sitting by the second fire, were the last to leave. However, when Yuugi arose from beside the fire and was about to walk to the male tent where his friends were staying, he was suddenly stopped by a hand on his shoulder.

He looked up only to be lost in the sparkling, red depths that were Atemu Djed-ra-iu-ef-anch's eyes.

"Yuugi?" the Egyptian asked softly. "Would you grant me the pleasure of staying in my tent? I would like to talk to you a little more, if you don't mind that is."

The teen was surprised by this question, and somehow he was not. Feeling a little helpless, he looked down at the spirit of the former pharaoh who still sat right in front of the fire. Atemu noticing the other's uncertainty smiled up at him.

"It's okay, aibou, you can go with him."

"But what about you?" Yuugi protested.

"I would like to stay out here a little longer, if you don't mind," the spirit answered, a contented look on his face. "This night is just so beautiful. I would like to enjoy it a little longer."

Feeling the sadness of the soon to happen separation threatening to overwhelm his heart again, Yuugi quickly nodded.

"We'll be waiting for you then," he told the spirit who smiled.

"I'll be there soon, aibou. Don't worry."

Yuugi nodded and followed the head of the camp silently to his tent. It was smaller than the other tents he had seen, but still big enough that he was able to enter without having to bend down.

The inside was beautifully decorated. The place was divided into two areas; one had a small table in the middle of the room. Soft looking cushions served as chairs to sit upon and a bunch of colorful flowers were placed right in the middle of the table. The walls of the tent were decorated with colored foulards and in one corner stood a small bank which contained a bucked of water and some glasses.

The other part of the area was also decorated with foulards on the walls. On the ground was the largest, most inviting outdoor bed Yuugi had ever seen in his life. It was made of a thick, large mattress lying on the ground and over it lay lots of beautiful cushions and some sheets to protect one's body against the cold night.

"This is beautiful," the teen breathed after he recovered from his small shock. The Egyptian smiled widely over the compliment.

"Thanks, I am happy to hear you like it," he said. "I chose the foulards and cushions myself. I hope the bed will be to your satisfaction to sleep in for the night."

"I am sure it will," Yuugi replied, not knowing why the hell he was suddenly blushing. "It looks really soft and comfortable. Even more so than my own bed at home."

They both chuckled a little and Atemu then gestured to the small table.

"Please, sit down," he said. "Do you wish more to drink?"

They had left the empty glasses at the fire with the former pharaoh and because Yuugi still felt quite thirsty he nodded while he sat down on a red cushion.

Atemu filled both his guest and himself a glass of water and then sat down beside the teen, offering one drink to him. Yuugi took it with a thankful smile and sipped on the water. He couldn't help it but he suddenly felt slightly nervous.

As if sensing the younger one's sudden uneasiness, Atemu started exactly where they had stopped talking earlier. Yuugi had no problem catching up on their talking and it didn't take long for him to get lost in their light and interesting conversation.

The young duellist wasn't aware of how much time had passed since he entered the tent. But he was very aware of the sudden silence when Atemu stopped speaking in the middle of a sentence.

The young Egyptian was staring deeply into the eyes of the Japanese teen, an intense fire burning in their depths. It was a fire Yuugi was surprisingly familiar with. Warmth suddenly started to spread through the younger one's insides and he didn't even consider fighting the sudden wave of feelings he received all at once. He was far to lost returning the deep gaze his host was giving him.

Slowly, Atemu put his glass on the table before reaching over and guiding Yuugi's hand to do the same. The teen allowed the young man to lead the action without a sound. Both glasses ended up standing side by side on the table while the Egyptian now clasped both of Yuugi's wrists.

Slowly and carefully the young man pulled Yuugi forward, nearing their faces inch by inch. The moment the Japanese teen was able to feel the soft breathing of the other on his face it was only natural for him to close his eyes and move his head forward to meet the soft, waiting lips of the Egyptian.

Hands released the wrists of the other to find a new place around the waist of the delicately built body. Yuugi let his own hands fall to the strong thighs of his partner to keep his balance. His upper body moved forward so he was able to put more pressure behind their kiss.

It was his first kiss and it felt like he had done it a thousand times before. The slight movement of the other against his own lips sent wonderful shivers down his body. Yuugi let out a small sound before he fully returned the kiss by moving his own lips against the other's.

It seemed an eternity had gone by before both young men separated. They took deep breaths to calm their excited bodies. Deep, burning red clashed with slightly lighter red. Yuugi was drowning in the other's eyes and he knew instinctively that Atemu was facing the same dilemma right now.

Without a word, the young Egyptian slowly rose from the ground, taking Yuugi with him. He walked over to the sleeping area, Yuugi being led willingly. When they reached the first fluffy cushions, Atemu, for a moment, released Yuugi's hand to climb fully onto the bed.

He turned around to the Japanese teen, his hands resting on the hem of his tunic. Without releasing his gaze from the younger one's eyes, the Egyptian opened both his white coat and the beautiful, sky blue tunic he was wearing underneath and let both fabrics silently fall to the ground.

Yuugi watched the action with glazed eyes, his heart pounding hard in his chest and his body basking in deep, wonderful warmth he'd never felt before in this life. He noticed when Atemu reached out a hand in invitation, his deep red eyes burning into his own.

"Come, Yuugi," the Egyptian whispered pleadingly and Yuugi followed without second thought. He allowed the dark skinned male to pull him down onto the bed and he watched silently, with a small, excited smile when Atemu began to free him of his own clothes bit by bit.

The bothersome fabric ended up in a heap on the end of the bed, followed by their wristbands and other adornments which they discarded for each other. Neither of the two young men paid them any further attention. Instead, the dark skinned Egyptian allowed himself to lay down on his back and Yuugi followed, his now naked body snuggling against the heated skin of the Egyptian as if he had been waiting for this moment all is life.

Both young men sighed quietly when they felt their skin touching so intimately for the first time that night. Yuugi looked up into the eyes of the person who was causing these overwhelming feelings inside his mind and he leant forward to allow their lips to meet in another, deep kiss. Hands stroked over each other's body, slowly and tenderly exploring the new territory while mouths opened for a deeper kiss.

Atemu licked over the younger one's lips lovingly, informing the other what he wanted without voicing it out loud. Yuugi complied and allowed the other's tongue to enter his mouth. Their tongues meet in the teen's cavern and they started to touch and play with each other softly.

The tender game of their mouths send new shivers down Yuugi's body and he started to move it a few times out of reflex, skin rubbing against skin, causing soft sighs and moans to escape their lips.

"Yuugi," the Egyptian whispered the name of the other lovingly and the teen responded by softly nibbling on Atemu's lower lip. The next second their lips were again united in a deep kiss, tongues dancing and playing, awakening bit by bit more nerves in their shuddering bodies.

It was Atemu who ended the kiss while his hands stroked and touched desperately over Yuugi's back.

"Yuugi," he whispered, desire and passion causing his voice to sound low and seductive. "Please, Yuugi, please let me... please submit to me. I want... Yuugi, my Yuugi..."

And Yuugi knew what the Egyptian wanted. He let his body fall limp in the other's arms and allowed Atemu to softly move him into the cushions of the bed. The Japanese watched with a soft smile as the other slowly covered his delicately built body with his slightly more muscular one.

Dark and light skin mixed together nicely and the Egyptian started to move his body slowly, carefully, making sure that as much skin as possible was touching each other, stoking the fire they felt deep within their souls.

Yuugi sighed in pleasure over the movements and then the first quiet moan escaped his lips when Atemu's mouth enclosed over his neck to suck and pleasure carefully. The Egyptian really was a wonderful, thoughtful lover.

He started to kiss down Yuugi's sensitive throat, his tongue licking and stroking here and there as well, causing the duellists'' nerves to catch fire. So hot, his body was bucking up, right into the waiting one of the other. He let out a groan, his hands embracing the strong hips of his lover, pressing down hard in his body's excitement.

Atemu just smiled at the action and continued to shower his beloved with kisses, finally reaching the first nipple on the left. Slowly, carefully his lips enclosed over the half erect, small body part while his right hand searched one of Yuugi's hands. His dark fingers covered the far lighter skinned wrist of the Japanese teen and in a slow move, he pushed the arm above Yuugi's head where he finally allowed their fingers to intertwine and rest on the cushions.

Yuugi lightly squeezed the loving hand with his own before his senses were taken back to the feeling of his nipple being carefully tended by soft lips and a heated tongue. The teen moaned deeply at the new feelings this action caused in his insides and his whole body started to shudder and buck up against the loving mouth.

Atemu chuckled silently over the sudden, uncontrolled reaction and applied himself to the right nipple now. This time Yuugi nearly choked on his own breath. He gasped heavily, his breathing all of the sudden increasing, the burning of his body intensifying.

"Atemu!" he whispered wantonly.

"Atemu!"

His hand intertwined with the other's hand was squeezing so hard now that he feared it would hurt his partner, but Atemu didn't even seem to notice.

"Atemu!"

This time his quiet voice held a light undertone of pleading, begging. As an answer the Egyptian gave the right nipple one last, loving kiss before working his way lower down the body.

"Shhhh...," he tenderly soothed the still quietly begging teen under him. "Soon, my sweet Yuugi, soon."

He moved his free hand, stroking over the left thigh until he reached the fully erect and painfully throbbing manhood of the Japanese teen. To ease some of the heavy desire the other was feeling right now, he began to softly touch and stroke over the hard erection.

This action caused a spark of fire to run through Yuugi's body and with a heavy pant his body bucked up violently, directly into the warm hand on his member and the soft lips on his navel.

"Gods!" Yuugi's whispered words died on his lips when the Egyptian suddenly leaned forward to capture that wonderful mouth with his own. The Japanese teen thought he would get drunk from the taste of the other's lips on his own, and he never wanted to be sober again. So he accepted the kiss, happily tasting and feeling as deep as he could.

The Japanese teen was so engulfed in the wonderful kiss, that he never noticed the hand leaving his erection to wander downwards to his most intimate body part. It caught him a little by surprise when he suddenly felt a warm finger stroking teasingly over his entrance.

The kiss was broken and both young men opened their eyes to look at each other. Atemu was searching, quietly asking the other if he was willing to take the last step, if Yuugi knew what they were about to do.

The young duellist simply gave his lover a small smile before placing his lips over the Egyptian's throat. Slowly he started to kiss and lick his way down the other's body, tenderly exploring every curve and every dip it had to offer.

The young man let the other do as he pleased, enjoying the careful way of exploring he experienced. However, in their current position Yuugi wasn't able to explore very much of the body in front of him. Soon he reached the limits of his explorations and he looked up, back into the passionate, burning fires which matched his own.

Atemu gave his lover a quick kiss on the lips before he leant over the Japanese's body to reach into some of the cushions that framed the top of his bed. When he found what he was looking for he pulled back and in front of Yuugi's eyes came a small, beautifully painted box of wood.

The teen raised an eyebrow in question, causing the Egyptian to smile lovingly down at him.

"This little box contains oil we spread on our bodies every morning," he explained softly. "It's to help against the heat so that our skin doesn't become dry. I think it will serve our purpose tonight."

Yuugi smiled when he realized the meaning of the other's words and he raised his head to lovingly kiss the other again. When their lips broke apart Atemu brought his mouth to his lover's ear, his breath softly ghosting over the sensitive skin.

"Please raise yourself to your hands and knees", he whispered softly. Yuugi nodded slowly and allowed the Egyptian to help him turn around until he was in the position the other wished for.

"Good Yuugi," he praised softly, his breath on the Japanese's ear sending shivers down his body. Yuugi could feel a hand ghosting over his chest, stroking his nipples teasingly before it came to a rest on his belly, holding him there.

It was a nice feeling, those warm fingers on his skin and he sighed lightly to ease his burning nerves a little. A chuckle was released beside his ear, the soft, teasing breath sending new, wonderful shivers down his body.

"I'll start now, Yuugi," Atemu whispered and watched the other nod his head slowly. The Egyptian put the small wooden container on the ground, opened it with his free hand and dipped a finger in, coating it with the oil it contained.

With his still dry fingers, he slowly stroked over the heated, shivering body in front of him, following the spine slowly downwards till he reached his goal. Yuugi could feel how the slow, wandering touches down his spine caused his excitement to increase.

The Japanese held his breath when the first finger entered him. It didn't hurt; he was so excited and turned on that he didn't even feel uncomfortable at the sudden foreign intruder. He closed his eyes, feeling the soft strokes deep inside his body and let the other prepare him.

When Atemu was satisfied with his exploration, he removed his finger and dipped a second finger into the box of oil which stood beside him on the ground. With two oiled fingers he turned back to the body in front of him and carefully entered it again.

The penetration of two fingers caused Yuugi to gasp slightly. This time he felt lightly strange and a little bit uncomfortable, but it was not too bad. The fingers on his belly, which suddenly started to stroke and tickle his sensitive skin there, were able to distract him quickly from the strange feeling inside his body.

Atemu stretched the insides of the other carefully, taking his time, not stopping until he was sure Yuugi's body was truly ready for him. He removed the fingers again and bent forward, lovingly kissing the other's back up to his neck.

Yuugi shuddered and moaned quietly over the wonderful treatment he received. Then he suddenly felt lips enclosing over his earlobe, sucking and nipping slightly, setting his nerves on fire all over again.

Groaning, the teen bent his back in bliss and closed his eyes. He felt the lips leaving the small, sensitive body part again after a final suck and soft breathing ghosted over his ear.

"Get ready," the Egyptian whispered while he coated his own, painfully hardened erection with the oil. When he was finished with his task, he closed the lid of the box and moved to return the oil to the ground beside the bed.

Atemu then crawled back to his place, his whole attention fixed on the waiting body in front of him. He wrapped his hand securely around the kneeling teen's waist, before he finally settled himself right in front of Yuugi's entrance.

The entering followed in one, slow but fluid movement. The Japanese teen felt a sudden discomfort because of the unusual intruder, but the feeling vanished as quickly as it had come and with a deep sigh of bliss, he welcomed the foreigner inside his body.

It was at that very moment that Atemu, former pharaoh of Egypt, lifted the fabric of the closed tent door to enter. The sight that greeted him left the ancient spirit stunned for a moment. The two 'just joined' young men hadn't noticed the newcomer; they were too caught up in the wonderful feeling of their final union.

With a slight fascination the spirit watched as the Egyptian slowly and carefully started to move inside Yuugi, the motion causing both men to let out a deep, quiet, sustained moan.

He watched the glowing faces and the squeezing of their closed eyes while they tried to find the right rhythm for their lovemaking. Then a small smile formed around the former pharaoh's lips. Silently he blew a loving kiss in Yuugi's direction before turning around and leaving the tent without anyone noticing.

It was right at the moment the spirit left that Atemu opened his eyes again to watch the body in front of him moving sinfully, meeting each of his tender thrusts. He bent forward, his movements never stopping and started to kiss a loving trail down from his lover's neck to the top of his spine.

Yuugi arched up, moaning quietly. His body was burning and sweating from their current lovemaking. He felt the Egyptian starting to lick his way back up again, now from his spine up to his neck. At the same time one of the hands that was supporting his body touched one of his nipples, rubbing and teasing while the other hand stroked the side of his body.

The teen moaned again, his movements suddenly speeding up, coaxing his partner to adjust to the new rhythm. Atemu complied without a second thought and with the speeding up of their movements; the Egyptian was able to take his lover deep enough that he hit his goal.

The feeling of fire, which seemed to explode inside his belly, came so suddenly that all Yuugi could do was throw his head backwards and let out a silent scream. His eyes opened wide and his legs unconsciously slipped a little further apart, offering his Egyptian lover an easier entry.

Atemu licked over the Japanese's back lovingly while he accepted the invitation and started to thrust a little harder. This time the movement caused both men to see stars, the flames inside their bodies increasing.

"Atemu!" Yuugi whispered pleadingly. He knew he was close and he wanted, needed the release. He craved it with his whole being. The Egyptian seemed to feel it, because one of his hands searched for the throbbing erection of the teen and began to stroke if softly, matching the movement with his thrusts.

Yuugi could only groan and sigh, bliss overwhelming him, drowning his senses, filling his soul and leading him right to the edge of no return. His hands fisted into the cushions.

"Yes, Yuugi, let it go!" The Egyptian whispered heatedly, his voice hoarse and low with the passion he was feeling himself right now. "Come for me, my beautiful! Let me see the pleasure you feel, show it to me!"

The whispers against his ear, the hitting against his sweet spot which happened with each move now, the deep, hot voice, the strong, but still soft stroking of his erection, it was too much for Yuugi. His mind exploded, his soul vanished into blinding light as he came with a long moan of pleasure.

Atemu felt the essence of the other's orgasm wet his hand which was still stroking the now, slowly softening erection and he was not far behind the teen. With one last thrust into the willing body before him his own world exploded, his soul welcoming the craved release by diving into the blissful light.

For a moment both bodies tensed from their sudden release before they became limp and fell to the ground, the Egyptian's body covering most of the teen under him.

For minutes, only heavy breathing filled the air and it took them a long time to calm down from the feelings they just experienced. It was Atemu who stirred first. He exited the body he had taken and rolled the slightly exhausted teen around to rest against his chest.

With loving eyes he watched Yuugi calm down from his high, all the time stroking over hair and face tenderly. Yuugi blinked slightly when he registered the touches and he slowly looked up from his current position against the other's chest into warm loving eyes.

The Egyptian bent down to kiss the Japanese's forehead before he reached for one of the blankets lying beside them. Carefully he covered both of their bodies with the warm material and put his arms around his lover's body.

"Yuugi, stay with me", he whispered into the teen's ear. "I want you to stay by my side forever."

TBC...


	3. Chapter 3

Well, I decided to offer the last part to you people. Prepare for some major angst but don't worry too much. I hope you all will like the solution I came up with for the fic. I am looking forward to get some comments about what you think of it.

Title: Miracles of Egypt  
Part: 3/3  
Author: Usagi slight angst, romance, lemon, SPOILERS for the end of the manga  
Genre: Romance  
Pairings: Atemu x Yuugi  
Criticism: Constructive criticism welcomed  
Disclaimer: Nothing is mine; I don't make money from fanfiction.

Description: Just before he is supposed to depart to the underworld, Atemu learns something surprising about his past and realizes a little secret Yuugi did not tell him. And if that is not enough, in the last hours before their separation Atemu, Yuugi and the gang meet someone new. Someone surprisingly familiar.

Thanks to my betareaders Deb and Elsalhir for the usual quick work. Also I would like to thank the people who offered some translations for the word "goodbye".

Egyptian Names and their meanings:  
Djed-ra-iu-ef-anch (Ra says that he may live)  
Imdewaw (Goodbye)

* * *

Last chapter: 

The Egyptian bent down to kiss the Japanese's forehead before he reached for one of the blankets lying beside them. Carefully he covered both of their bodies with the warm material and put his arms around his lover's body.

"Yuugi, stay with me", he whispered into the teen's ear. "I want you to stay by my side forever."

Yuugi didn't answer. Slowly he moved himself up until he lay on the same level as the Egyptian. He gave the young man a small smile and a quick kiss on the lips before laying his head down onto the other's chest and closed his eyes.

Quietly he felt Atemu settling into a better position against his body, the arms around his hips never leaving. He listened the soft breathing evening out as sleep overtook the Egyptian. But he himself was not able to sleep at all. He lay there, eyes wide open now, quietly listening to the other's heartbeat and feeling the steady movements of the chest his head lay on.

Suddenly, tears started to gather in the teen's eyes as realization of what he'd just done hit him full force. He couldn't stay here. He didn't want to cry and risk waking the man beside him.

Slowly, carefully, Yuugi disentangled himself from the other's embrace and got up. He quickly slipped into his boxer shorts and his trousers. With one last look at the sleeping figure on the bed, he turned around and left the tent.

The night was quiet and quite cold, but Yuugi didn't seem to notice this as he hastened over the ground, away from the tents and away from the single fire which still burned.

He walked through the ruins until he could not see the camp anymore and the second he was sure that he was far enough away, his legs were no longer able to support his weight.

With a silent cry Yuugi sank to the ground and started to sob uncontrollably. Hot tears wet his cheeks and he didn't even try to wipe them away. He just sat there on the ground and sobbed and sobbed and sobbed.

He was so absorbed in his current misery, that he did not hear the noise of steps coming nearer. Thus he was terribly surprised when suddenly something warm was put around his bare shoulders and a body embraced him from behind.

"Aibou, you will catch a cold if you run around like this," he heard Atemu's soft, caring voice speak. Yuugi looked up and saw the spirit of the former pharaoh looking at him, concern all over his face. The sight caused the teen to give a hard sob before he turned fully around and buried his face into the former pharaoh's chest, crying for all he was worth.

Atemu embraced his aibou tightly, confusion and worry clouding his eyes as he listened the other crying his heart out.

"Mou hitori... Atemu!" Yuugi sobbed, his hands pressing desperately against the other's back. "I'm sorry, so sorry!"

It took the young Japanese a long time to calm down from his breakdown and even more time went by before he finally found enough strength to explain to the worried former pharaoh what was going on in his torn up soul.

The two young men sat down on a fallen over pillar. Atemu immediately embracing the other body again while Yuugi leant his head contentedly against the spirit's chest.

"Now let's take this slowly, aibou," the former pharaoh said softly. "Why are you crying?"

"I've been such an idiot," Yuugi murmured miserably. "You must hate me now."

"Aibou, why should I hate you?"

"Because..." Yuugi started to sob again. "Because I've acted like a cheap whore. I sank so low, I still can't believe I did this!"

"Aibou?" Atemu looked at the teen, deeply worried now.

"I've slept with him!" the teen nearly screamed. "How can you be so calm when I made love to a totally stranger? I didn't mean to do it. I don't know what happened. I can't understand it myself."

Another sob escaped his throat and he looked up at the former pharaoh of Egypt, voice now quiet and shaking when he said his next sentence.

"All I ever wanted was to give my first time to you!"

"Aibou," Atemu whispered, touched and saddened by Yuugi's anguish and the confession he'd made. "Don't take this so hard."

"But Atemu, I just allowed a total stranger to make love to me. I can't believe it myself."

"Are you sure that this man is a stranger to you?"

Yuugi stared at the former pharaoh for a moment before he slowly shook his head.

"I forgot myself," he admitted miserably. "Back there in the tent, when he looked at me, I thought it was you. All the time, every minute, every second my mind was only thinking of you. You two are so similar. He looks like you, his name is yours, his voice, the way he talks, and it all reminds me of you. And when he kissed me," his voice was shaking now and he had to swallow three times before he was able to continue.

"When he kissed me, my mind was telling me it was you. I... I couldn't help it... oh god, Atemu what have I done?"

Tears came up in his eyes again but Atemu quickly wiped them away and shook his head.

"Think about it, aibou, do you really think that this similarity is just coincidence? Do you really think the fact that he seems to match me in every aspect is just a plain accident, a prank of fate?"

The teen looked at the former pharaoh, not quite getting what the other was trying to tell him.

"What else could it be if not a cruel joke of fate?" he asked sadly. "It's not as if it could be you. You are a spirit after all, right here in front of my eyes."

But Atemu shook his head again a small smile now playing around his lips.

"And this is where I think you are wrong. I am even daring to say that he is most certainly me."

"But how?" Yuugi breathed, shock evident in his eyes. "He can't be you! You are here and he is more or less a stranger to me. I don't know him at all! That's what makes this even worse."

"How can he be a stranger, aibou?" Atemu softly objected. "You already learned a lot about him last night when you talked by the fire."

Yuugi wanted to say something but was silenced by a finger of the spirit placed against his lips.

"Do you remember what he said earlier that evening, aibou? That he always felt like he was missing something important and that he had been searching for this missing piece for a long time?"

Yuugi nodded silently.

"I think Atemu Djed-ra-iu-ef-anch IS me. At least, a part of me," the former pharaoh explained. "When I died, 3000 years ago, my soul was banished into the puzzle. But I think that is only half of the story."

"And what's the other half?" Yuugi wanted to know.

"That it was only half of my soul that was banished," Atemu answered with a smile. "Yesterday, by the fire, when Atemu told us about the feeling of missing something, I said that I understood that feeling quite well didn't I?"

The teen nodded quietly.

"That's because I've felt that way since you released me from my prison, aibou," the spirit continued. "In the beginning I thought the feeling was caused because of my missing memories. But now, after I've met Atemu, I realized that it must be the feeling of my missing soul."

Realization hit Yuugi with this explanation, but he still felt unsure if that could really be the truth.

"But how can you be this sure now?" he asked slowly. "Couldn't there be another reason for your feeling of missing something?"

"I would ask myself the same question if it weren't for the fact that I met Atemu, aibou. When he showed up for the first time, I felt drawn to him and the slight feeling of emptiness I've had for so long was nearly gone. I am quite sure this man is the missing piece of my soul, aibou, believe me. I am the part that got banished into the Sennen Puzzle, and he is the part that went to the gods and is now reborn."

Yuugi looked thoughtful now. He considered the words of the ancient spirit. It made sense in some way and the idea of this other Atemu being a part of HIS Atemu's soul, was quite soothing and eased the pain he felt when the sudden realization of his actions had hit him.

"But still... he is a stranger in my eyes," the teen finally admitted, voice lost. "It's not the same as it would have been with you. How could I let this happen? I wanted to be with YOU."

"Aibou, please don't." The former pharaoh took both hands of the other in his own and placed a small, loving kiss onto Yuugi's forehead. "It may be true, you might not know him as you know me because we've already spent one year together. But you learned a part of his life and if you give this all a chance, if you give him... US a chance, this could work out after all."

He smiled at Yuugi, stroking through his bangs lovingly.

"Remember that he is still a part of the same man you loved in your past life. Give him a chance, aibou. Get to know him again, let him stay by your side and things will turn out well, you'll see."

"And you are not angry?" Yuugi asked timidly. Atemu's answer was a laugh while he ruffled through his aibou's hair.

"No, I am not angry, not at all, aibou."

The teen sighed and leaned his head back against the strong, solid chest of the ancient pharaoh.

"Well," he mumbled against the fabric of the jacket the spirit wore, "maybe I'll give it a try."

"That's the spirit, aibou!" Atemu praised and they both fell silent. The just sat there, listening to the songs of the desert night and basked in the presence of each other. However, suddenly Yuugi moved his head to look at the ancient pharaoh, suspicion shining in his eyes now.

"By the way, what were you doing out here, Atemu? I don't think you were waiting for me to burst out of the tent so you could follow me."

Atemu remained silent for a long moment, his face unreadable. But Yuugi had some suspicions and they both knew it. Also, there had never been any lies or secrets between them before and the former pharaoh didn't plan on starting with lying now.

"You are right, aibou, I wasn't expecting you to take your actions this badly and run away from the camp," Atemu admitted with a sigh. "When you suddenly came out of the tent, I was just considering leaving."

Yuugi gasped, even though he had been expecting this kind of answer.

"But Atemu, what about our friends?" he asked in shock. "Why would you want to leave in the middle of the night? I thought we would finish this whole ceremony in the morning, all together."

Atemu looked into Yuugi's widened eyes and smiled, a small, sad smile, something the teen was not used to see on the former pharaoh's face.

"That's the problem, aibou, 'all together'. I just didn't want to say goodbye to our friends. Jonouchi, Honda, Anzu, everyone, all of our wonderful friends, they mean the world to me. It's already difficult enough for me to leave you behind but I don't think I'll be able to bear saying goodbye to my friends."

The spirit rubbed over his tired eyes and shook his head.

"If I left right after our final battle, if I had opened the door right after my loss, I may have been able to walk through the door and say goodbye. But then Isis led me to the memorial place and we met the other Atemu. We had a wonderful night of fun, but with every second I was able to watch our friends, I felt my heart becoming heavier."

"So you wanted to just leave silently, without saying goodbye. You hoped it would make the departure easier," Yuugi concluded softly, understanding shining in his eyes. "Oh Atemu!"

He hugged the spirit of the ancient pharaoh, pressing his face against the other's chest.

"At least let me go with you!" he mumbled into the jacket, catching the spirit by surprise.

"Excuse me?"

Yuugi looked up, a small smile now on his face.

"If you don't want to face anyone else, at last let me accompany you! If you have to leave, the least I can do is be able to say goodbye."

Atemu looked into his aibou's face, unsure about what to decide.

"Do you really think this is a good idea, aibou? Do you think you will be strong enough? Will you be able to turn around and walk back into your life, after I am gone?"

He gazed sharply into Yuugi's eyes, waiting for the teen to consider his questions and work out the answer. Finally the teen nodded, determination clearly written on his face.

"Yes, I'll be strong. I will walk back into my life, I promise."

"And if you would allow me to accompany you now, I will make sure that he keeps to his word," a voice suddenly declared behind the two men. They turned their heads to find to their surprise, Atemu Djed-ra-iu-ef-anch standing right behind them, a small smile on his face.

"Forgive me the sudden intrusion, but I was worried about Yuugi's whereabouts and went looking for him."

He bowed his head slightly at the ancient pharaoh and held out the jacket Yuugi had worn that evening. Atemu smiled and bowed his head as well. Then he took the jacket to replace the sheet he had used to cover his aibou's upper body with. After he was sure that the teen was now dressed warm and secure enough against the cold of the night, he turned back to the Egyptian, a small appreciating smile on his lips.

"Will you take care of him for me?" the spirit asked the young man seriously. "Are you willing to look after his well-being for me, to support him and never leave his side again?"

The young Egyptian nodded his head, his face determined and serious.

"If he is willing to allow me to stay by his side, I am more than happy to meet your requests, Atemu, pharaoh of Egypt."

The spirit took one more sharp look into the other's face. He could only find truthfulness and sincerity in those eyes. Thus, he nodded his head, satisfied with the answer. Turning his gaze back to Yuugi, he took one of the teen's hands and squeezed it slightly.

"Yuugi?" he asked silently. Knowing what the former pharaoh wanted, the Japanese breathed in deeply before nodding.

"I am ready."

"Let's go then!"

And with those words, the spirit and the teen rose from the ground. Allowing the Egyptian male to join them, the three turned around to start their small journey back to the ruins of Kura Eruna. The only thing witnessing of their presence at the ruins was a small white sheet, left forgotten on the ground.

The journey back to the ruins of what had once been home to the grave robbers was longer than the walk before. But they had no problem in finding their way around because the Egyptian by their side had no difficulties orientating even in the darkest night.

It was quiet when they reached the entrance to where the Duel of Destiny had taken place. They walked down the stairs and there it was the door to the underworld.

Yuugi's heart was pounding painfully in his chest as he stood rooted to the spot, staring at the eye of Horus which decorated the entrance that was supposed to take the former pharaoh from him. The spirit was standing to his right, his hand entwined with Yuugi's while to the Japanese's left stood the Egyptian, who also had one hand interlocked with Yuugi.

The spirit to the teen's right took a breath and squeezed the hand tightly before releasing it. Kind, loving eyes gazed at Yuugi, a warm smile on his lips.

"Aibou, this is where we part," he said quietly. The teen was barely able to hold back a sob and the former pharaoh kneeled down, one hand touching Yuugi's upper arm supportively.

"Don't cry, aibou!" he said softly, gazing right into the Japanese's eyes. "Remember what we talked about. There is still a part of me left and you just need to allow him a place in your world."

He stood up again and gazed deeply first at Yuugi, then at the other Atemu, who still held the teen's hand in his own.

"I don't know what will happen when I step through that door," Atemu started, eyes strong and determined, "but I believe with all my heart that everything will turn out all right, aibou. You are in good hands. I entrust both of you in each other's care!"

He smiled at both of them before turning around and taking a step forward.

"May the gods be with you!" the spirit declared with a small glance over his shoulder before he turned his full attention on the door in front of him. He knew what to do!

"Atemu!" he spoke his name clearly, the room throwing back the echo of his voice. Instantly a bright light arose around the eye of Horus and slowly the two double-wings moved apart. All three men watched the happenings with deep respect.

Behind the eyes shone a soft light. There was nothing else which could be seen. For a second everyone was silent, just standing there and staring at the open doors. Finally Atemu, former pharaoh of Egypt, took a deep breath and took the first step.

The spirit walked calmly, regally. He didn't falter nor hesitate once. Only when he was right in front of the door, the light shining on his figure, did he turn around for a last look at his aibou and the person who would now take his place by his beloved's side.

"Imdewaw!"

"Atemu!" Yuugi shouted, tears gathering in his eyes. He wanted to run up to the spirit but he was held back by the man beside him. Giving up, the Japanese teen allowed the tears to flow down his face.

"Sayonara!" he whispered, a fisted hand pressed against his heart. Beside him Atemu bowed his head. The former pharaoh answered the gesture with a small smile. Then he turned around and took his last step. Just before the light engulfed his body, Yuugi and Atemu watched as the clothes on the spirit changed into what he used to wear three thousand years ago.

The cloth of his cape fluttered behind him as the door slowly closed, hiding the former pharaoh of Egypt behind its enormous doors. Yuugi gave a small sob and threw himself into the waiting arms of the young man by his side. Atemu embraced the teen tightly, allowing him to mourn over his loss.

But both men had not much time to get over the departure of the third. Suddenly the earth around them started to growl and shake, first small stones falling from the ceiling. Atemu took one look into Yuugi's widening eyes.

"Out!" the Egyptian shouted and took Yuugi's hand. The teen allowed himself to be led up to the exit where he watched the stone tablet with the Sennen Items breaking down and vanishing into a deep hole which had suddenly opened up in the ground.

Sending a last good bye to the golden treasure, the connection to his other half, he finally turned around and side by side the young men ran out of the hole. When they felt sure that they were out of the danger zone, they stopped and took some deep breaths.

Yuugi was the first one to turn around. With wide eyes he looked at what had once been the entrance to the ceremonial battle place. What was left were just a lot of stones and dust. Still slightly shocked he felt an arm wrap around his waist securely.

The teen moved his head to look at the young man beside him. Atemu stood there, a solemn look on his face. But suddenly his body shuddered and his free hand came up to cover his face. Worry throwing aside the fresh memory of his current loss, Yuugi turned his full attention to Atemu.

"Is everything all right?" he asked softly. The Egyptian moved his hand away from his face and smiled at the Japanese.

"Yeah, I think so," he said. "I just feel a little dizzy. I guess this has been a long day. So, how about we go back to the camp. It's still late at night so if we hurry up a little we might be able to catch some sleep."

Yuugi nodded wordlessly and taking the hand of the other back into his own, they turned around to make their way back to the camp, leaving the ruins of Kura Eruna behind.

The walk back seemed to take even longer than before, but Yuugi was not sure about this. After all, when the light of the fire finally came back in sight it was still dark. Beside him Atemu was wavering a little in his steps and it made him worry.

Something seemed to be wrong with the young man, but every time Yuugi had voiced his concern, the Egyptian had assured the teen that he was just tired. He seemed to be telling the truth because when they reached the tent, Atemu immediately let himself fall onto the cushions of his bed, his eyes small and his entire features looking tired.

He seemed even too tired to get out of his clothing. He just lay there and waited for Yuugi to get out of his own clothes so that the teen could join him in bed. The Japanese did just that, getting rid of his jacket and trousers before crawling next to the young man's side and pulling a sheet around both of them.

Atemu gave a small smile of thanks and wished Yuugi good night before he closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep. The teen didn't take long to follow, his mind suddenly feeling even too tired to think over everything that had happened that night.

Silence lay over the camp now. Only a soft whinny of one of the horses could be heard in the night here and there. The peaceful silence was not interrupted until the first rays of light announced the arrival of the morning. Then the men of the camp awoke to start their morning routine of taking care of the horses and preparing breakfast.

Still, even with the slowly growing noise outside, Yuugi didn't wake until late morning. He opened his eyes when his still sleepy mind registered some shouting coming from one of the tents his friends were staying in. Groaning he turned around in the embrace he was in and opened his eyes.

The first sight which greeted his still tired eyes was the sleeping form of the Egyptian he had stayed the night with. Atemu was lying beside him, his breathing quiet and even. Waiting for his mind to wake a little more, Yuugi just lay there and watched the other sleep.

He couldn't help but admit that he felt quite content lying within soft cushions, held by a strong body and covered by a warm blanket. Though he slowly started to realize that maybe the blanket was becoming a little too warm now that the sun was shining again.

A grunt brought him out of his cozy thoughts and Yuugi turned his attention back to the now stirring body beside him. Burning red eyes opened to look into his own and a small smile played around the Egyptian's lips at the sight that greeted him.

"Morning," Yuugi greeted the other quietly, sitting up now. "How are you feeling?"

The smile on the young man's lips widened while he too sat up. He lifted a hand and stroke lovingly over Yuugi's face.

"I feel better than I've ever felt before in my life," Atemu declared happily. "Ohayoo gozaimasu! Aibou!"

Yuugi's breath caught in his throat when he heard the greeting and that last whispered word. All of a sudden his mind was wide awake and his eyes widened in deep shock. Since their first meeting, Atemu had always spoken English to communicate with them and they had done the same. But now he was greeted in his native language, although he knew the other should not be able to speak Japanese at all.

"You speak my language," Yuugi whispered and he felt tears gather up in his eyes again.

"So I do," Atemu answered with a smile. "Aibou, I am here, I am whole!"

The dark skinned hand cupped the teen's cheek tenderly and they stared deeply into each other's eyes. Yuugi couldn't believe it. He was sobbing and laughing at the same time while he held the gaze of the deep, red eyes, he loved so much to look into.

Time seemed to stand still until the teen finally blinked in full realization and with a cry of utter joy he threw himself into waiting arms.

"Atemu, Atemu!" he whispered again and again. "My love, mou hitori no boku! My pharaoh!"

"Yeah, I am here," the other whispered, pressing the body against his own. It took Yuugi some time to calm down from his shock, but when he was able to grasp a clear thought again he broke their heated embrace and looked at the Egyptian again.

"But how come...?" he started thoughtfully, before his eyes widened again. "Your strange dizziness last night!"

Atemu just nodded with a smile.

"My soul was mending last night. It started right during our walk back and continued while I slept. What has been divided once is now whole again. That was how it was supposed to be."

"So the lost part of your soul which was imprisoned inside the Sennen Puzzle had to cross over to the underworld before it could be reunited with the other half of your soul?" Yuugi asked curiously.

"That's what I was told after I stepped through the door."

For a moment both were silent, their foreheads touching and their souls basking in the knowledge of being reunited. Atemu then blinked his eyes, gaze becoming thoughtful.

"It's a strange feeling," he slowly said, deep wonder obvious in his tone. "As if my life with you, the one year we spent together, is part of a past life which I suddenly remembered."

"But I am no past life," Yuugi whispered, tears in his eyes. "I am still here, by your side, always by your side."

"Yes, that you are," the Egyptian responded, happiness shining in his eyes. "And I will be by your side as well from now on."

Both men smiled and then Yuugi leaned forward and their lips met in a deep, soft, morning kiss. The sweet, wonderful moment was broken thought when suddenly one of the men at the camp stuck his head into the tent asking for his master's assistance.

Atemu nodded once, assuring that he would come in a second. Then the Egyptian gazed back at his aibou, smiling sheepishly.

"Seems I have to take care of my tasks now, aibou."

"Well, you are the boss here after all, at the moment," Yuugi replied, grinning.

"True. So how about I take a look at the horses and you get ready and eat some breakfast, then I might be able to invite you for a ride in the desert. How does that sound?"

Yuugi's reply was a quick kiss on the other's lips and a wide smile.

"Sounds like a good plan. I'll see you later then!"

"Right," Atemu replied and quickly got up to take care of his duties as the leader of the camp. Yuugi himself remained sitting on the spot for a moment longer, basking in the knowledge that finally everything in his life seemed to turn out okay. Then he got up and decided to take care of his suddenly loudly complaining stomach.

Even though it was already near midday, not one of Yuugi's friends seemed to be up yet. Even the teen's jii-chan seemed to be too lazy to come out of the tent. So Yuugi spent the first few minutes all alone with his breakfast until one of his friends decided to show himself to the world.

It was Mokuba who came out of the tent first and he seemed to be strangely amused, grinning and chuckling the whole way to the fire were Yuugi was already sitting, eating contentedly. The young Kaiba noted the eyebrow Yuugi raised because of his behavior and his grin turned into a malicious smirk.

"We caught nii-sama and Jonouchi kissing this morning," he answered the wordless question. "I always knew there was something between those two but nii-sama would never admit it. This morning though, they thought we were all still sleeping. Hell they'll never live this down."

The young Kaiba brother giggled and even Yuugi could not help but chuckle in amusement.

"And to think last night he complained about affection in public because Malik started a make out session with Rishido," Mokuba continued. "I thought it was fun, especially, since in the end Isis had to drag her brother with her to the girl's tent and force him to sleep there. I heard someone say that Malik secretly drank wine behind Isis' back. It wouldn't surprise me, after all, it would explain why he was about to jump poor Rishido in front of everyone."

He yawned and then watched with a bright grin as Yuugi tried to calm down from his laughter.

"And," the young Kaiba finally asked when the current duellist champion had calmed down, "how exciting was your night with our nice host?"

Yuugi just smiled.

One hour later the rest of Yuugi's friends and his jii-chan finally left the tents to get something to eat as well. They were surprised though when greeted by an unusual sight. Outside the camp Yuugi was riding on the back of a black horse, releasing a cry of utter joy to the sky while he galloped over the desert sand.

Right beside the excited teen rode their host, Atemu, on the back of a white stallion, eyes glowing and a wide smile on his lips. When Yuugi noticed his friends he immediately turned his horse and rode up to them, coming to a halt just inches from Jonouchi's feet.

"Morning everyone!" he chirped, good-humored while Atemu came up to his side. Jonouchi blinked at his best friend in shock.

"Yuugi, what are you doing?" he asked bewildered.

"Horse riding with Atemu," Yuugi answered happily. Anzu blinked, while Honda, Ryou and Otogi stared at him wide eyed. Malik looked like he was going to burst out laughing any second while Rishido just shook his head. Seto's face was unimpressive as always while Mokuba smirked. Sugoroku Mutou however looked thoughtful as did Isis.

Jonouchi, on the other hand, seemed to be utterly confused. He just glanced from Yuugi to their host, who was looking strangely amused. However, it was Isis who voiced the next question.

"Yuugi, where is Atemu?"

The asked one smiled at the question, his eyes shining brightly.

"Gone and still here," he answered. "By the way, it seemed Kura Eruna didn't take the departure of Atemu's soul really well. The whole place broke apart last night."

"Just a second," Jonouchi interrupted, his eyes blazing. "What do you mean with 'the departure of Atemu'? He went without us?"

"He didn't want to say goodbye, Jonouchi-kun," Yuugi explained, his eyes softening. "You all meant a lot to him and he felt really sad that he was forced to leave you behind. Thus he wished to leave in silence to make things easier."

"He left?" Anzu asked, shocked. "Last night?"

Yuugi nodded, a smile still on his lips.

"But it doesn't matter," he added and looked at Atemu by his side, "because he came back!"

While most of his friends looked at him as if he had grown a second head, Isis nodded in understanding.

"I already suspected something like this," she said, looking at Atemu as well. "Atemu Djed-ra-iu-ef-anch was the second part, the reborn part of the pharaoh's soul, wasn't he?"

It was Atemu's turn to answer the questions now.

"That's right, Isis," he said, nodding. "And last night, when I left, my soul could finally be reunited again. I'll be staying with you guys now; you'll get not rid of me so easily."

He smirked and Anzu and Ryou smiled widely at that news, while the rest of them seemed to still need some time to work out what they just learned. Isis and Sugoroku though were also smiling, while Seto didn't look too happy. The Egyptian noticed this and turned his full attention on Seto.

"Oh, sorry, Kaiba, but this also means that you'll not only have one, but two rivals in the future," he teased slightly before he became serious again. "There is one thing I would like to ask you though."

"And that is?" Seto wanted to know, his face expressionless.

"Could you take in another horse, beside Yuugi's? I plan to come back to Japan of course but I really wouldn't like to leave my favorite horse behind. So, I was hoping you could take it in since you are already accepting Yuugi's horse anyway. You don't need to worry about payment; I'll pay for everything the horses may need."

Seto didn't seem to be too happy about this, but Mokuba was already poking at his side, looking up at his nii-sama pleadingly. He couldn't do anything else but give in.

"Fine, but you'll have to take care of the horses yourself," he grumbled. "I am not looking after them for anything."

Atemu and Yuugi both nodded, smiling their thanks. They dismounted from their horses and the Egyptian called two of his men to take care of the animals. After both horses were led away, Atemu turned to the old Mutou, bowing his head slightly at the man.

"Mutou-jii-san, I also have a request for you," he started. Sugoroku blinked in surprise before indicating for the young man to continue.

"It's about Yuugi," the Egyptian explained, putting an arm around the Japanese's waist. "As I've said, I wish to go back with you all to Japan. But I am not a spirit anymore, I already have a life I lived and I just can't turn and leave. I have to stay here and lead the caravan until my parents are done and come back to take over. I don't think there will be a problem if I ask them for a long holiday and permission to stay in Japan. I've been working for my family all my life without many breaks, so I guess it's all right to take one now."

He paused and chuckled.

"Though I think I have to come up with an explanation as to why I am suddenly able to speak a language that I was not familiar with before."

The others grinned at this, obviously slowly getting over the shock they'd received. Atemu, on the other hand, became quickly serious again and gazed back at the old Mutou.

"What I would like to request, Mutou-jii-san, is your permission for Yuugi to stay with us until I am able to leave. We will start our journey to the next oasis within the next hour and I would be really happy if Yuugi could accompany me on this journey."

The Egyptian bowed his head now while Yuugi looked at his jii-chan hopefully.

"Please, jii-chan? I want to stay with Atemu!"

Sugoroku Mutou looked at his grandson first, then at Atemu. Finally he smiled.

"Well, you're still on holidays from school, Yuugi, so I don't see a problem with you staying here," he answered, causing Yuugi to cry out in delight. "And I guess it wouldn't do you any good to separate you from Atemu anyway."

He grinned at the now slightly blushing young men before Jonouchi interrupted the scene.

"Hey, just a moment! If Yuugi's stays, we'll stay as well!"

Most of the other friends nodded and Malik added.

"This is the first day of our family being finally released from duties. I would like to stay around as well, ne, nee-san?" he said and looked pleadingly at Isis. The young woman shook her head, smiling in amusement while Mokuba started to beg his own brother as well.

Cheerful and excited talk finally broke out in the whole group, Atemu and Yuugi watching with a smile. It quickly turned out that they would all stay together for a while longer to enjoy holidays, freedom and also using the time to clear up some newly learned things such as the announced relationship between Seto and Jonouchi as well as Atemu and Yuugi.

The friends were even offering their help when the camp was removed, Atemu in the middle of it all, giving commands and watching over every step accomplished. Within an hour the whole caravan was ready to continue their traveling. With Yuugi and Atemu at the head, the journey was ready to start again.

People seek for the future because they have memories of their past. Without memories, a person can not walk into the future.

But now Yuugi and Atemu both had more recollections of the past than most other people had. And they both had a life. Thus they could start their new way into the future. Both together, hand in hand.

Owari

"We seek for the future because we have memories of the past. Without memories he can't walk into the future..." that was Yuugi's thinking in book 19 when he talked to Malik for the first time after the fight against Pandora. I loved that saying and in the most awkward of moments my head made up the ending with that saying. I was busy that moment groans so it was not fun to have the idea repeated again and again in my head until I got the chance to write it down. --


End file.
